The Silent Push-Out: How Black & Brown Women in Tech Are Being Set Up to Fail (And How to Protect Yourself)

Black Women in Tech Face Unfair Performance Reviews

In recent months, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend in tech: Black and Brown women receiving unexpected negative performance reviews and PIPs (Performance Improvement Plans) out of nowhere.

Now, I want to be clear—this isn’t lost on me. We’ve seen mass layoffs across all industries, and companies are making tough decisions. But the patterns I’m seeing go beyond that.

For many Black & Brown women, these surprise performance reviews and PIPs feel more like a setup than a fair assessment.

Historically, this has been a tactic to push us out. But why is it happening now, and how can you protect yourself?

Why This Keeps Happening

To understand this, we need to look at the bigger picture:

1️⃣ Companies Are Not Investing in Leadership Development

Many tech companies throw people into management roles without properly equipping them with the skills to lead. These new managers are often learning on the fly—at the expense of their direct reports.

2️⃣ It’s Their First Time Managing Black & Brown Women

For many managers, this is their first experience working with Black & Brown women in any capacity. And when they lack exposure, experience, or cultural competency, their discomfort turns into avoidance—until it’s too late.

3️⃣ Outside of Work, Their Social Circles Look the Same

Studies show that most adults only have close friendships with people of the same race or ethnicity. So when managers have never had meaningful relationships with Black or Brown people, they may not even realize their biases.

When you combine poor leadership training, inexperience, and unconscious bias, what do you get? Performance reviews and PIPs instead of real-time, constructive feedback.

3 Ways to Protect Yourself from Unfair Performance Reviews & PIPs

If you’re a Black or Brown woman in tech, you must be proactive in managing your career. Here’s how:

1️⃣ Set & Reset Expectations

Manage up. If your manager lacks leadership skills, you need to take the initiative to clarify goals and expectations. Anytime your role or responsibilities change, ask:

• ✅ What are the top priorities for my role?

• ✅ How will we measure success?

• ✅ How will you support me in achieving these goals?

Your success isn’t just about what you do for them—it’s also about how they support you.

2️⃣ Ask for Quality Feedback

Not just any feedback—quality feedback that is specific, timely, and actionable. If your manager isn’t giving it to you, ask the right questions to get real insights. Instead of just saying, “How’d I do?” ask: "Was XYZ effective?" or "What should I do more/less of?" or "What’s one thing I can improve on?" When you ask for specific, measurable feedback, you give them less room for vague, subjective criticism.

3️⃣ Keep Receipts

🚨 It could be your word against theirs. Keep detailed documentation of:

• ✅ Emails & Slack messages

• ✅ Meeting notes from 1:1s

• ✅ Any feedback, commitments, or project approvals

⚠️ Before recording conversations or saving files, check your company’s policies and local laws—some states require two-party consent for recordings. If things take a turn, you’ll have valid proof to protect yourself.

At the End of the Day, We Have to Advocate for Ourselves

No one is going to look out for your career, growth, or stability more than you will. This system wasn’t built for us—but we can learn how to navigate it.

Need Support? Let’s Work Together.

If you’re a Black woman looking for career support, I’m offering free coaching sessions to help you build confidence, set goals, and declutter your mind.

And if you’re a leader struggling to manage people who don’t share your identity, let’s talk. We can work together to develop your inclusive leadership skills so that your team thrives. You can also start a self-paced journey of inclusive leadership with my book, The Inclusive Leadership Journal.

And if your company needs DEI consulting—whether it’s a workshop for all people managers, leadership training, or a strategy to better support employees—let’s connect. I help organizations build real, actionable strategies for inclusion. You can also check out my Udemy courses for practical, self-paced learning on DEI.